Thermoformed plastic is cost effective and yields strong, compact, lightweight packaging at decreased material costs per unit. But using the right plastics in packaging can make a difference - in the bottom line and in the environment. Most collection systems are built around HDPE and PET so a focus on these materials makes recycling and the inclusion of recycled materials possible. HDPE has excellent impact strength where product protection is required and PET presents both good clarity for display packaging and stability for engineered structures.

Nationwide, plastic packaging resin sales have increased at a pace of 200 million pounds annually over the last 10 years while recycling has increased by about 50 million pounds. Plastic packing recycling has stagnated in the US to approximately 5 percent of the total amount sold.

While petroleum supplies are dwindling demand for oil-based goods is rising. For every 4 barrels used, only 1 new barrel is discovered and supplies are projected to run short within the next 20 to 100 years. Recycled plastics are readily available and should be utilized in the face of the financial, environmental and social costs of acquiring new petroleum supplies.

Nationally, plastics are the fastest growing component of municipal solid waste currently estimated at about 15% by volume, second only to paper. Most recycled plastics are PET and HDPE containers, accounting for around one half of the plastics recycled nationally over the last few years. Exponential growth in new single serving beverage containers over the last 10 years has created a backslide in recycling percentages on a whole (71% for PET in 1994 in CA vs. 42% in 2004) while the number of containers recycled has increased dramatically (26.4 million containers predominately PET and HDPE in 1988 to 1.6 billion containers in 2001).